JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Southeast Missouri baseball defeated Jacksonville State (16-12, 14-3 OVC) Saturday afternoon by a score of 13-6. The Redhawks use the win to even up the series at one game apiece.
 
The Redhawks move back into first place in the Ohio Valley Conference at 17-3 and 28-11 overall.
 
"This Jacksonville State team has a lot of pride and confidence and they never feel they're out of the game," Steve Bieser began. "With the wind blowing out, I think neither one of us thought this game was too out of reach; even in the late innings when we opened it back up, it just takes a couple miscues and a couple walks to make it a game again. I need to give our guys a lot of credit, they kept the hammer down and kept pushing to finish this game out."
 
Adam Pennington (3-0) entered Saturday's game in the fifth inning and pitched four and two-thirds scoreless innings en route to the victory. Pennington allowed just four hits, struck out two, and walked none. Pennington's victory comes off a save in Tuesday's game at Saint Louis.
 
"It's been quite the week for Adam. He has been throwing the ball outstanding. I really wish we could've gotten him through with a few less pitches so we can bring him back Tuesday but more than likely, he will be finished until next weekend. He is a great weapon to have in the bullpen when a starter doesn't have his best stuff."
 
Clay Chandler exited the game after only four and a third innings of work, his shortest outing of the season. Chandler gave up a season-high six runs on nine hits. He struck out two and walked two. He left with the lead but did not qualify for the win, pitching short of five innings.
 
JSU starter Jack Pierce worked only two and a third innings. He allowed five runs on five hits to Southeast. The Gamecocks used four total pitchers in the contest.
 
Southeast outhit JSU 20-13, led by three-hit performances by Garrett Gandolfo, Chris Caffrey, and Andy Lack. Lack also drove in three runs with two doubles in his five at bats.
 
"The lineup really clicked and I think they were able to string things together today. They made it really tough on their pitching staff by taking what was giving to them. I think they did a really good job with their starter and continued to keep pressure on every pitcher they saw."
 
Dan Holst hustled out a double to center in the top of the first. Gandolfo drilled a bullet through the right side of the infield, plating the speedy Holst and putting Southeast on the board 1-0 in the opening frame.
 
Clayton Daniel doubled to left center with one out and scored on a base hit by Taylor Hawthorne to tie up the game at 1-1 in the first inning.
 
The Redhawks went back in front in the top of the second inning. Hunter Leeper led off the inning with a single up the middle then scored when Lack doubled off the base of the left center field wall, 2-1 Southeast.
 
The Redhawks broke open a seven-run lead in the top of the third inning. Three straight doubles by Gandolfo, Caffrey, and Chris Osborne plated a pair of runs for the Redhawks and knocked Pierce out of the game. Michael McCreless entered the game and hit the first two batters he faced to load the bases. Lack ripped a double down the left field line to plate two more runs. Trevor Ezell immediately followed with a single to right center, plating both runners and widening the lead to 8-1.  
 
A wild pitch scored Elliot McCummings in the bottom of the fourth inning, cutting into the Redhawk lead 8-2.
 
Hawthorne's second home run of the season was a loud one as he drilled a grand slam down the right field line in the bottom of the fifth, slicing Southeast's lead to 8-6.
 
Branden Boggetto reached on a leadoff error by Josh Bobo in the top of the sixth. He advanced to second on a hit by Osborne and scored when Leeper got a base hit to fall in center. Osborne was called out at home trying to score on the hit by Leeper to end the inning but Southeast extended the lead to three, 9-6.
 
Southeast used four two-out hits to recover its six-run lead in the top of the seventh. Holst doubled off the wall in left to score Lack. Holst, who advanced to third on the play, scored on a base hit poked through the left side by Boggetto. Following a base hit by Gandolfo, Caffrey singled to right, plating Boggetto and widening the lead back to six, 12-6.
 
Brian Lees sent a moon shot over the left field wall in the top of the eighth, adding to the Redhawk lead, 13-6.
 
In all, eight Redhawks had multi-hit performances. Ezell, who only had one hit, still drove in a couple runs.
 
Hawthorne finished with three hits and five total RBI. McCummings also had three hits in the game.
 
The rubber game of the series between Southeast and Jacksonville State will be Sunday at 1 p.m.